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Jonathan Wilson

With 2011’s critically-lauded Gentle Spirit, audiences worldwide were introduced to the prodigious talents of singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and unrivaled guitar hero Jonathan Wilson. Gentle Spirit’s authentic exploration and modern updating of the “Laurel Canyon sound” earned it high marks on many year-end lists, including those of MOJO (#4), Uncut (#16) and The Guardian (#28). Both BBC Music and the NME gave it 8/10 stars.

“‘Fanfare’ as a word, represents a fanciful showing, a bodacious movement of energy, a celebration of sound,” Wilson explains. “Something to signify an arrival, a special occasion. A fanfare follows no rules. In this case, it's also the opening song, it’s the gateway for the rest of the record.

Fanfare’s seven-minute-long opener begins with the sound of baby chicks being fed through an Echoplex tape delay unit and builds into a tubular bell-laden, multilayered cinematic poem from the artist meant to channel the perfect love song through his piano. As a declaration of intent, it’s a powerful statement.